EVANSTON, Ill. – No. 23 Northwestern opened the 2017 season with a 1-0 shutout win over DePaul Friday night at Martin Stadium.
Junior Kayla Sharples scored the match's only goal right before the half, and senior goalkeeper Lauren Clem collected her 40th career shutout.
The Wildcats moved to 4-2 in season openers under head coach Michael Moynihan.
Sharples scored the first goal of the 2017 season by heading in Grace Orndorff's header from a corner kick, which deflected off the crossbar. Sharples' fourth career goal with 1:02 to play in the first half capitalized on a dominant first half by the Northwestern offense, which outshot DePaul, 5-0.
First year player Regan Steigleder hit a rocket off the top of the crossbar to start the second half, and fellow newcomer Kylie Fisher attempted to head in the deflection but it was saved by Blue Demon goalkeeper, Lauren Frasca.
In the 66th minute, DePaul forced its best chance of the game when Clem tipped Alexa Ben's breakway shot off the post. The ensuing rebound shot from Abigail Callahan seemed destined to go in, but defender Hannah Davison cleared the ball off the line to preserve the clean sheet.
The Wildcats, who were 15-0 last year when they scored first, closed the rest of the match comfortably. Northwestern outshot DePaul 11-3 in a strong performance to start the season. Madi Kennel and Maria Fayeulle led the way with two shots apiece.
The shutout was the 30th in the last three years for Moynihan's side.
Steigleder, Kennel, and McKenna Angotti all made their first career starts. Fisher and Kayleigh Stahlschmidt also made their collegiate debuts off the bench.
Northwestern improved to 8-1 all-time against DePaul and 6-0 in Evanston.
Chicago's Big Ten Team now heads on a three-match road swing, beginning with Illinois State on Sunday. The Wildcats then head to California to take on Long Beach State (Aug. 24) and Loyola Marymount (Aug. 27). The team returns home to Martin Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 3, when it faces Cincinnati at 1 p.m.
Junior Kayla Sharples scored the match's only goal right before the half, and senior goalkeeper Lauren Clem collected her 40th career shutout.
The Wildcats moved to 4-2 in season openers under head coach Michael Moynihan.
Sharples scored the first goal of the 2017 season by heading in Grace Orndorff's header from a corner kick, which deflected off the crossbar. Sharples' fourth career goal with 1:02 to play in the first half capitalized on a dominant first half by the Northwestern offense, which outshot DePaul, 5-0.
First year player Regan Steigleder hit a rocket off the top of the crossbar to start the second half, and fellow newcomer Kylie Fisher attempted to head in the deflection but it was saved by Blue Demon goalkeeper, Lauren Frasca.
In the 66th minute, DePaul forced its best chance of the game when Clem tipped Alexa Ben's breakway shot off the post. The ensuing rebound shot from Abigail Callahan seemed destined to go in, but defender Hannah Davison cleared the ball off the line to preserve the clean sheet.
The Wildcats, who were 15-0 last year when they scored first, closed the rest of the match comfortably. Northwestern outshot DePaul 11-3 in a strong performance to start the season. Madi Kennel and Maria Fayeulle led the way with two shots apiece.
The shutout was the 30th in the last three years for Moynihan's side.
Steigleder, Kennel, and McKenna Angotti all made their first career starts. Fisher and Kayleigh Stahlschmidt also made their collegiate debuts off the bench.
Northwestern improved to 8-1 all-time against DePaul and 6-0 in Evanston.
Chicago's Big Ten Team now heads on a three-match road swing, beginning with Illinois State on Sunday. The Wildcats then head to California to take on Long Beach State (Aug. 24) and Loyola Marymount (Aug. 27). The team returns home to Martin Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 3, when it faces Cincinnati at 1 p.m.